2007 TURKISH GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING
Vodafone McLaren Mercedes drivers Lewis Hamilton and Fernando
Alonso will start Sunday’s Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul
second and fourth on the grid respectively. In an exciting
qualifying, Lewis set a time of 1min27.373 and missed his
fifth Formula 1 pole position by 0.044sec. Fernando, who was
the last driver on the track, qualified fourth with 1min27.574.
Qualifying Session One: Qualifying Session Two: Qualifying
Session Three:
Lewis: 3 laps, 1:27.513 (4th) 3 laps, 1:T26.963 (3rd) 11 laps,
1:27.373 (2nd)
Fernando: 3 laps, 1:27.328 (2nd) 3 laps, 1:26.841 (1st) 11
laps, 1:27.574 (4th)
LEWIS HAMILTON
"That was a good qualifying session for me. We had been
fast in practice so we were quite optimistic. In the first
two qualifying sessions I struggled a little bit to get the
most out of the tyres, but then it all came together on my
final lap. The team have done a fantastic job working hard
over the summer break to continue to bring developments to
the car and it shows in the fact that we have been very competitive
here all weekend. I think that we will have a good race tomorrow."
FERNANDO ALONSO
"I am happy with my qualifying today. I made the decision
to go out on prime Bridgestone Potenza’s for my final
flying lap, but I do not think this was the wrong decision.
That final lap was actually quite stressful as our planned
timing was for me to run at the very end of the session with
only a couple of seconds left to cross the line. Then I was
stuck in traffic, so all these factors probably played a role
in me not improving my lap time and coming fourth today. However
I think it will be a very exciting race, and I am feeling
confident as it is possible to overtake at this circuit. I
think we have a good strategy, and the car will be strong
in the race."
RON DENNIS
"Both drivers did a fantastic job today choosing different
tyres for their final runs. We have a good strategy for tomorrow’s
race and are confident that we will be in a strong position
to win."
NORBERT HAUG
"Lewis did a great qualifying lap less than half a tenth
of a second behind pole position, and with Fernando’s
fourth the top four drivers are within two and a half tenths.
Fernando was quickest in Qualifying Two when everybody was
on low fuel and this shows his and the car’s speed.
Starting from grid positions two and four is something we
know well as we have done this four times before in the first
11 races, winning two of them. Everybody in the team did a
great job improving our performance throughout the summer
break. Friday’s first practice, we were 1.2sec behind
and now we are on the same level as the opposition. Tomorrow
everything is possible, we have a strong strategy and a good
top speed."
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